<p>Facsimile of 1929 Edition. &nbsp;Clare Kendry leads a dangerous life. Fair, elegant, and ambitious, she is married to a white man unaware of her African American heritage, and has severed all ties to her past. Clare&rsquo;s childhood friend, Irene Redfield, just as light-skinned, has chosen to remain within the African American community, but refuses to acknowledge the racism that continues to constrict her family&rsquo;s happiness. A chance encounter forces both women to confront the lies they have told others&mdash;and the secret fears they have buried within themselves.&nbsp; Critics have argued that through its attention to the way 'passing' unhinges ideas of race, class, and gender, the novel opens spaces for the creation of new, self-generated identities.&nbsp; Since the late 20th century, <em>Passing </em>has received renewed attention from scholars because of its close examination of racial and sexual ambiguities and liminal spaces. &nbsp;It has achieved canonical status in many American universities.</p>